Various forms of inflatable solar heat collectors have been heretofore provided.
Inflatable solar heat collectors include various desirable aspects including the ability to be readily collapsed and thus readily transportable and erectable at remote locations. In addition, inflatable solar heat collectors may be of light weight construction and are not as susceptible to damage as a result of being struck by a hard object or having hail impinge thereon.
While some inflatable solar heat collectors are operative to heat currents of air passing therethrough, most inflatable solar heat collectors do not include means operative to store quantities of collected heat. As a result, when the source of solar radiation is depleted, most inflatable solar heat collectors cease to perform the function of heating air pumped therethrough. Examples of various forms of flexible and inflatable solar heat collectors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,125,091, 3,337,418, 3,453,666, 3,859,980 and 3,908,631.
The flexible and inflatable solar heat collector of the instant invention is constructed in a manner whereby it may be readily deflated and compactly stored for transport to a remote location. In addition, the solar heat collector of the instant invention includes structure whereby the air for inflation thereof is obtained from the flow of air pumped through the solar heat collector for heating. Also, the solar heat collector of the instant invention includes structure whereby a portion of the solar heat collected thereby during the hours of daylight may be stored and utilized to heat air pumped through the collector during the night time hours.